Enugu Catholic priest, and founder of the Adoration Ministry, Reverend Father Ejike Mbaka, has backed Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu’s bid to return to the Senate in the 2015.

Mbaka spoke during a prayer session at the Adoration Ground in Enugu, where the Deputy President came to “seek the face of God” ahead of the polls.

The clergyman said Ekweremadu had done well and deserved to be reelected.

“We have had a Senate President, and we have equally had Senators, but it is Senator Ekweremadu that has given the people of Enugu and the South East the feel of governance.

“Many of the roads and development projects you see around Awgu, Oji-River, Ezeagu, Aninri, and many parts of Enugu and the South East came courtesy of the quality representation by Senator Ike Ekweremadu,” Mbaka said.

Mbaka added that Ekweremadu, who was at the prayer ground with his wife, had demonstrated the ability to keep his family, which he described as “the first test of leadership.”

He said the Adoration Ministry would ensure that Ekweremadu “is returned to continue his good work.”

Mbaka added that Ekweremadu’s continued presence in the Senate is in the interest of the country, particularly Ndigbo, and not just the Enugu West Senatorial Zone.

He said, “Talking about Enugu West Senatorial Zone or Enugu State is even local politics – what is at stake here is Igbo interest in particular and Nigerian interest in general.

“Igbos cannot sacrifice what they have because of the selfish ambition of anybody.

“Senate is not a matter of ‘represented by’ as we know it in Enugu today.

“We need able, tested and trusted hands like Ekweremadu who can always stand up to be counted, who can deliver on promise, and who can treat every man with a sense of justice, equity, love, and kindness.”

Speaking at the event, Ekweremadu explained that he was at the Adoration Ground to seek the face of God, noted that although the Peoples Democratic had started selling nomination forms, he believed it was more important to commit his quest to return to Senate to God first before picking the form.

www.punchng.com/news/cleric-backs-ekweremadu-to-return-to-senate/

What's Fr. Mbaka's business with the politics of Enugu apart from casting his vote like every other eligible voter. It is such posturing that led to death of several persons in his Adoration ground tragedy few years back. I have nothing against Ekweremadu but pastors should not use their offices to play politics.

To be honest Ekweremadu is a rare gem, the man that extend physical projects not only to his senatorial district but to other zones in S.E, especially Nsukka. That man is just a blessing to Ndigbo and Nigeria in general, a legal luminary, he deserve our votes if at all he would contest. Sullivan is a good man also but in this case experience counts!

So because fr.Mbaka has backed him,pple shd now vote for him or what.This is what u get wen pple use d toga of priesthood to over glorify their own importance.Even d most holy of holies,d pope himself does not delve into politics so unshamedly and partisanly.So who is fada Mbaka taking after wt all these his pentecoster like programmes?

So because fr.Mbaka has backed him,pple shd now vote for him or what.This is what u get wen pple use d toga of priesthood to over glorify their own importance.Even d most holy of holies,d pope himself does not delve into politics so unshamedly and partisanly.So who is fada Mbaka taking after wt all these his pentecostal like programmes?

For all I know, weda Mbaka backs him or not, It certainly won't make people vote for him.. Mbaka should talk more about the Church and not endorsing politicians...

doctokwus:
So because fr.Mbaka has backed him,pple shd now vote for him or what.This is what u get wen pple use d toga of priesthood to over glorify their own importance.Even d most holy of holies,d pope himself does not delve into politics so unshamedly and partisanly.So who is fada Mbaka taking after wt all these his pentecoster like programmes?

Kayceo2010:
For all I know, weda Mbaka backs him or not, It certainly won't make people vote for him. Mbaka is from Enugu East and don't know anything about Enugu West.. So he should talk more about the Church and not endorsing politicians..

You guys are totally mistaken. This unholy endorsement will definitely win the senator many votes. Do you know the kind of influence some of these men of God wield?... Especially in the overly religious Nigerian society where people worship pastors more than they worship God himself?

I think it is totally wrong for men of God to openly show support for any political candidate. This can easily sway the votes of many followers from far and wide especially those who haven't made a choice on their preferred candidate.

Kayceo2010:
For all I know, weda Mbaka backs him or not, It certainly won't make people vote for him. Mbaka is from Enugu East and don't know anything about Enugu West.. So he should talk more about the Church and not endorsing politicians..

Lol Mbaka Enugu East? Mbaka is from Ituku in Awgu LGA, we the people of greater awgu has 3 LGA, as against 2 LGA that Chime will win, Ekweremadu may not get the ticket under Pdp but once he defects to another party he will definitely flaw chime. We give bloc vote to whomever we chose, we did it for Gbazuagu Nweke Gbazuagu and we shall repeat it again.

CaptainOjemba:
Lol Mbaka Enugu East? Mbaka is from Ituku in Awgu LGA, we the people of greater awgu has 3 LGA, as against 2 LGA that Chime will win, Ekweremadu may not get the ticket under Pdp but once he defects to another party he will definitely flaw chime. We give bloc vote to whomever we chose, we did it for Gbazuagu Nweke Gbazuagu and we shall repeat it again.

Mbaka, Awgu.. Okay.. My bad but still Sullivan will still win cos Ekweremmadu won't defect.. And please stop including Oji as Awgu. Just because Oji was joined with Awgu and Aninri in the House of Representatives doesn't mean Oji is Awgu. And considering size, only Udi alone is more than Awgu and Aninri put together and that is why Ezeagu and Udi were joined while three other small LGAs Awgu, Aninri and Oji were joined.. And talking about number of LGAs, number of votes matters...

sen. Ekwernmadu is truly a blessing not just to enugu but to the whole igboland...ride on sir

Kayceo2010:

Mbaka, Awgu.. Okay.. My bad but still Sullivan will still win cos Ekweremmadu won't defect.. And please stop including Oji as Awgu. Just because Oji was joined with Awgu and Aninri in the House of Representatives doesn't mean Oji is Awgu. And considering size, only Udi alone is more than Awgu and Aninri put together and that is why Ezeagu and Udi were joined while three other small LGAs Awgu, Aninri and Oji were joined.. And talking about number of LGAs, number of votes matters...

You seem to be living in soweto for you not to know that Oji river and Aninri was under Awgu before the two local governments was carved out, Just google Greater Awgu People's Solidarity( GAPS)to cure ignorance. We are one and inseparable ok. I laugh in panya for you to say that Udi is bigger than Awgu and Aninri joined together, anyway no need to join issues with cos you already said that Mbaka is from Enugu East.

I advise Men of God to focus on interpreting the Scriptures to us - instead of meddling with Politics.

.NET

Kayceo2010:
For all I know, weda Mbaka backs him or not, It certainly won't make people vote for him. Mbaka is from Enugu East and don't know anything about Enugu West.. So he should talk more about the Church and not endorsing politicians..

Mbaka is from ituku in Awgu which is Enugu west.

Same way he backs Ohakim to return as Imo State Governor. Adoration ground has turned to political endorsement ground

Igbos need Ekweremadu in the Senate more than they need Sullivan Chime. The governor doesn't own Enugu state.

doctokwus:
So because fr.Mbaka has backed him,pple shd now vote for him or what.This is what u get wen pple use d toga of priesthood to over glorify their own importance.Even d most holy of holies,d pope himself does not delve into politics so unshamedly and partisanly.So who is fada Mbaka taking after wt all these his pentecoster like programmes?

You sure do not know the politics of enugu. Father mbaka is the governor of Enugu, go figure.

Ekweremadu is good but sullivan is better.

moderatorr:

You sure do not know the politics of enugu. Father mbaka is the governor of Enugu, go figure.

Odiegwu... i na ako tuuu!!

Kayceo2010:
For all I know, weda Mbaka backs him or not, It certainly won't make people vote for him. Mbaka is from Enugu East and don't know anything about Enugu West.. So he should talk more about the Church and not endorsing politicians..

lame.
fr mbaka is from east and know nothing in the west? hello!

InyinyaAgbaOku:


lame.
fr mbaka is from east and know nothing in the west? hello!

How many times will you people fault me with that?? That even sums everything. Meaning that Mbaka is just after his own stomach.. A priest for that matter... and am sure he might have also 'anointed' Chimaroke when he was about becoming governor..

Kayceo2010:

How many times will you people fault me with that?? That even sums everything. Meaning that Mbaka is just after his own stomach.. A priest for that matter... and am sure he might have also 'anointed' Chimaroke when he was about becoming governor..

stop stop stop.
Mbaka was chimarokes strongest opponent!
Mbaka has always been a political analyst.
Moreover, he is not wrong about ekweremadu though. The latter did well in his senatorial zone

moderatorr:

You sure do not know the politics of enugu. Father mbaka is the governor of Enugu, go figure.

Then he and his stooge ekweremadu are about to b thought a political lesson.Ekweremadu will neither become gov or b returned to d senate.He is about to b returned to d political doldums,unless he gets a political appointment later.

Na only awgu, Aninri and Oji I dey here for radio anytime Ekweremmadu's name is mentioned. And I wonder weather na 2 representatives them get.. What of Ezeagu and Udi, what kind of representation is that?? Well, lemme not talk. He Don sack some people for him awgu local government not loyal to him. Dunno what happened though.. Maybe them no like the man..

yu pple shuld mind d way yu tok to the man who saw the gud leader of tomorow..
i remain faithful

Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu represents Enugu West in the National Aseembly. Over the years, he has set a record which will be difficult to match.

The Umuneke Progressive Front (UPF), recently okayed Ekweremadu to return to the Senate. President of the group, Emeka Aneke, told newsmen that his people only exercised their democratic right by endorsing the Deputy Senate President:
“The central issue here is about service delivery to the people and the performance of Senator Ike Ekweremadu within the context of the hopes and expectations of the people of Udi Local Government Area and Enugu West Senatorial District. Let us address the issues of service delivery, good governance and social justice for the people without playing politics of bitterness, rancor and character assassination.”
Through his Ikeoha Foundation Ekweremadu has established and operating 24 Adult Literacy Centres, providing basic education to over 5, 000 adult learners in his constituency. The Adult Literacy Programme is one of the cardinal approaches through which Ikeoha Foundation fulfills its mission of Building People and Empowering Communities by reintegrating adult women and men who before now did not have the opportunity of formal education into mainstream social and political activities of their communities by providing them the platform for formal education.
Also, the Ikeoha Foundation Scholarship/Bursary Scheme, has been designed as a lifeline, by way of cash and material awards to brilliant, well behaved indigent students in Enugu West Senatorial Zone as well as Igboeze North and Enugu North LGAs, to enable them graduate in their chosen courses of study.
The Ikeoha Scholarship and Award has also gone a step higher in 2014 by commencing full scholarship, starting from 2012/2013 academic session, in addition to its annual bursary awards of N30, 000 each.
While some State Governments were offering their qualified students scholarship in the range of 60,000 each, Ikeoha Foundation awards deserving students the whooping sum of N500, 000 each to help see them through in their educational pursuits.
A breakdown of the N22.350 million disbursed this year as scholarship and bursary grants to 525 students from the five LGAs that make up the Enugu West Senatorial District as well as Igboeze North and Enugu North LGAs, shows that 25 students got N500, 000 as Scholarship awards, while 83 students each from the five LGA’s in Enugu West Senatorial District as well as 80 students from Enugu North and Igboeze North got N30.000 each as bursary awards.
The first asphalted road and erosion control site from Nkwoagu to Uwani Amokwe in Udi Local Government Area home of Governor Chime was attracted by Ekweremadu in 2010. The solar plant and street light at Udi station, the exit water scheme project at Udi, Enugwu Obinagu road and erosion control site, Umuavulu Abor Erosion control project, Oji/Udi 33kv feeder, the construction of classroom blocks with furniture and VIP toilet at Community High School, Amokwe , were done by Ekweremadu.
The construction and equipping of library centre at Community High School, Ukana; supply of basic drugs to Udi Health Center; the Umuabi bye pass road, which is ongoing; the Enugu Umuabi water project; multi million Naira National Youth Development Center at Ngwo Asaa are all projects attracted by Senator Ekweremadu to the governors’ Udi Local Government alone.
Before he came on board, there was no single kilometer of asphalt road in Aninri LGA but today, all major roads within Aninri and environ and other LGAs in Enugu West have either been asphalted or being asphalted. Among these roads is the hitherto dreaded N12 billion Nenwe-Oduma-Uburu Road project for which the people gave him a chieftaincy title.
Also, there was no water scheme in Enugu until the deputy senate president attracted the N12 billion Ivo multipurpose Dam Project, which will take water to every nook and cranny of Aninri/Awgu    and environ and service year-round agriculture and power supply to Enugu.
Although water servicing Enugu city comes from Oji River, Oji River itself has no water scheme. The Senator attracted the multibillion naira Greater Oji-River Water Project to supply water to Oji River, Udi and environ. Feasibility studies have been concluded and it will soon be awarded.
At the last count Ekweremadu has attracted 39 projects to Aninri local government, 36 projects in Awgu, 21 in Ezeagu, 34 projects in Oji-River L.G.A, and 24 projects in the governor’s Udi council area. He further attracted 31 projects to the South East as a zone.
A breakdown of the projects which was recently made public was challenged from some quarters prompting an investigation into the authenticity of the claims.
For instance, an inquiry into the allegation that a library project in Ugbo, Awgu LGA was fake, showed that what was proposed for the community was a Library/ICT Centre project. However, the community was said to have preferred an ICT Centre during final consultations. This was reflected in the revised edition of the booklet cataloguing Ekweremadu’s projects.
“You could only have alleged phantom project or fraud if the projects both ICT Centre and Library project were listed as different items in the first version of the booklet”, Bethel Onyenyiri, Special Adviser on Projects to the Deputy President of the Senate on Public Affairs stated.
“And if out of 168 projects, some detractors are contesting about 1%, which your investigations will portray the true picture, it is left for the public to judge whether we have done well or not”, Onyenyiri added.
At Ugbo, the projects found to have been attracted by Ekweremadu include asphalt roads, rural electrification, PHCN Service Station, solar street lighting, Ugbo dam project and water scheme.
At Awene Olo -Mgbagbuowa (Erosion control/Road construction project) Ezeagu L.G.A it was discovered that contrary to claims by a report, the road leading to the present Chairman of Enugu State council of Traditional rulers H.R.H Igwe (Amb) Agubuzor was funded in 2013 and the contractor, DODOCANAL ASSOCIATE LIMITED was working. The community also said they had since visited Ekweremadu to thank him.
It was also Ekweremadu who way back in August 2011 raised the alarm that the Niger Bridge was at the brink of collapse.
Senator Ekweremadu said this during a visit to the headquarters of the Federal Ministry of Works in Abuja where he was received by the Minister of Works, Mr. Mike Onolememen; the Minister of State, Ambassador Bashir Yuguda and the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Tukur Ingawa.
Ekweremadu who also called for the rehabilitation of roads in the zone reiterated that the Niger Bridge had become a great challenge to the people of the South-east and the entire Nigerians due to its strategic place in the nation’s life. He therefore stressed the need to, not only fix it immediately, but also to take steps to urgently get the second Niger Bridge in place as promised by the president during the electioneering campaign.
Furthermore the actualisation of the Enugu Airport dream has been described as a testimony of the quality leadership, synergy, and legislative masterstroke on the part of Senator Ekweremadu and the South East Caucus of the 6th National Assembly, NASS, which opened the request with a letter to President Yar’Adua signed by Senator Ekweremadu on behalf of the rest. Thus, the Caucus, with the Deputy President of Senate in the driver’s seat, began the legislative diplomatic rounds to the Villa to drive the dream. The meetings were fruitful from the outset as President Yar’Adua was said to be seriously touched over the absence of an international airport in the South East.
A first class traditional ruler from the Enugu North Zone Igwe Spencer Ugwoke had this to say about the Deputy president of the senate; “Yes, it is a fact. Senator Ike Ekweremadu has laid a very good foundation for others to emulate. He has not been to my palace. I learnt he has been to my community five or six times. He is constructing a road, a very big road. He is drilling a borehole in a village in my domain and he is from Enugu West doing such things in my domain. We need to clap for him because I have also a Senator who is not doing the same. He hasn’t done so for Enugu North, let alone going outside the senatorial zone. I was reading newspaper yesterday that he is to construct a road in Igboeze North to Odoro, from Odoro to Kogi.
Have you finished the one in your local government where you come from?
“I praise Ekweremadu for that. In fact, I am looking for an opportunity to see him face to face as the scriptures say “show forth thy blessings, not only in your lips but in your lives. In fact, there is need for the community to show that what he is doing here is sincerely and earnestly appreciated.
Just as I mentioned Ekweremadu, people will say he is my man. But everybody is my man. Go and see what Ekweremadu is doing in his zone. I tell you that I and my cabinet will be going there. I have not told him that I will be coming because I am equal to the task of doing that myself. I and my cabinet will go there and worship at the Anglican Church he built. That is a legacy that will last forever. We are very proud of Ekweremadu. We are proud of what he is doing at the National Assembly.”
From the foregoing, coupled with his relevance to the presidency and better acceptance in the party at the national level it is evident that Ekweremadu will not be easily overrun no matter who is involved.
He rather appears to have an edge going into the primary having proved to be a better and more loyal party man than his opponent. Also while Chime is elitist in nature, Ekweremadu is a proven grassroots operator who can come down to meet the people at the base.
Ekweremadu must also have started earlier to prepare for the battle ahead reaching out and touching the lives of so many while the governor is just beginning to reach out to the people; Ekweremadu has been into it since 1997 when he founded the Ikeoha Foundation.

Stori...

Kayceo2010:
Stori...

u demanded for what he is doing and I showed you, even Chime kinsmen has endorsed him, we shall know who goes to senate 2015



We the people of Greater Awgu will fight with our last blood to ensure the Barr Ike Ekweremadu returns to the senate.

The lingering crisis in the Enugu State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, is set to claim another casualty as the Awgu Local Government Legislative Council, on Wednesday, served a Notice of Impeachment on the Council Chairman and Governor Sullivan Chime’s loyalist, Hon. Mathanus Nnanna Nze.

The senatorial contest between the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu and Governor Chime has been a major cause of quarrel between the two camps.

In a Notice of Impeachment signed by six out of the eleven Ward Councillors that make up the legislative body, the Councillors accused Hon. Nze of gross misconduct, lack of accountability, corruption, and sponsoring political violence against Legislative Council.

The Legislative Council in its resolution said it had “noted with serious concern the total collapse of governance in the Council and the brutality and bare-faced dictatorship perpetrated Hon. Nze and his cohorts.”

It added: “Noting that apart from poor budget implementation, lack of accountability, and retirement for contracts not executed, there are outright acts of brigandage and the management of the Local Government a private estate.

“And noting that the Council Chairman has persistently ignored summons by the Legislative Council to account for his stewardship since January 4, 2012.

“We, pursuant to our constitutional mandate as the people’s parliament, hereby serve a Notice of Impeachment on Hon. Mathanus Nnanna Nze, the Chairman of Awgu Local Government in accordance with the Local Government Laws of Enugu State, Nigeria.”

The Legislative Council said it had activated necessary legislative due processes towards the impeachment and notified the Chairman of the Council accordingly.

It also elected Hon. Olisa Solomon Okolo, Ituku/Isu/Agbudu Ward, as the new Leader and head of the Awgu Local Government Legislative Council.

It could be recalled that the Legislative Council had on Tuesday impeached and suspended its leadership believed to be loyal to Governor Sullivan Chime for alleged anti-party activities, political violence, and sabotage of Awgu political interest.

In a resolution passed by eight out of a total of eleven Ward Councillors, the Legislative Council accused its former leadership of conspiring with the Council Chairman, Hon. Nze to allegedly hire the armed political thugs that allegedly invaded the legislative chambers and unleashed mayhem on its members.
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Mbaka is right.Gbam!.Lets call spade a spade,can anybody here give me any SINGLE REASON Chime should replace Ekweremadu?.Ikeoha has given not only the people of Enugu West but also South East in general the impact of governance.What is Chime going to do in senate when we have an experienced Ekweremadu.We want to go to zero representation,NO! it wont happen.Sullivan Chime should respect himself and retire from politics when his tenure expires.On Ikeoha we stand!

Ndi Enugu don't know what they have in Ekweremmadu. One of the greatest things that has happened to Enugu state. I have never seen a senator so determined to change the lives of his constituents! Go to Aninri and see what is called representation. Not this moronic Ngige representation. In other news, I think Mbaka has succeeded in making himself a major political power bloc in today's Enugu politics to the extent that you have to be in his good books if you don't want to be hated by the people. why can't Mbaka concentrate on his religious entrepreneurship.

Kulas:
NO! it wont happen.Sullivan Chime should respect himself and retire from politics when his tenure expires.On Ikeoha we stand!

If he doesn't retire we the people of Greater Awgu will retire him. Hoooohaaaa

enekentioba:
Ndi Enugu don't know what they have in Ekweremmadu. One of the greatest things that has happened to Enugu state. I have never seen a senator so determined to change the lives of his constituents! Go to Aninri and see what is called representation. Not this moronic Ngige representation. In other news, I think Mbaka has succeeded in making himself a major political power bloc in today's Enugu politics to the extent that you have to be in his good books if you don't want to be hated by the people. why can't Mbaka concentrate on his religious entrepreneurship.

We are all political animals according to socrates, besides Ekweremadu represents Mbaka in the senate and he sees that we the people of Enugu west are getting quality representation.